Suction cleaner



' 01c. WILLIS SUCTION CLEANER April 18, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan April 8,- 933- o. c. WILLIS 1,904,972

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 21,- 1931 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Patented Apr. 18, 1933 l I I 'YUNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE L0 c. WILLIS, or mxnwoon, onio, nssronon roman noovnn comramr, or NORTH cannon, 01110, a conroaar'ron or 01110 SUCTION CLEANER Application filed January 21, 1931. Serial No. 510,068.

The present invention relates to suction ing 'a frame to be pivoted within the nozzle; cleaners in general and particularly to a new Fig. is a view in perspective of the 'suband improved construction in which the nozzle and the means for supportingit; I height of the nozzle lips is automatically ad- F i 6 is a view in perspective of a latch 5 justed relative to the surface covering undermem er; r 65 going cleaning by variations in the nozzle Fig. 7 is a view of the spring which actuvacuum. More specifically the invention ates the latch shown in F gure 6;

" comprises the provision, in a suction cleaner, Fig. 8 is a schematic disclosure of the opof an improved automatic-height-adjusting eration of the present invention 10 construction in whichglthe nozzle lips extend In' the operation of a suction cleaner upon parallel to the plane, of the surface covering a surface covering, and particularly that type in their various positions throughout the of suction cleaner embodying positive agirangelof their movement. tating means suchas a rotary agitator com- It is an object of the present invention to prising rigid or positive beating elements, it

15 provide a new and improved nozzle construcis requisite for maximum cleaning eificiency tion. It is another object to provide, in a that the surface covering be lifted from its suction cleaner, a new and improved auto: supporting surface into contact with the lips matic-hei ht-adjusting means for the nozzle of' the suction cleaner nozzle in order that lips. A rther object islthe provision, in a that portion of the covering between the lips as suction cleaner, of an improved height-admay be contacted by the rotary agitator. 'The 7 justing construction in which the nozzle lips necessity for lif ing the covering from the are maintained parallel to the plane of the supporting surface is understood when it is surface covering throughout their range of explained that maximum cleaningefl'ectivemovement. A still further object is the proness is only possible with the use of an agivision, in a suction cleaner, of an automatictator having rigid beating elements which nozzle-lip-positioning construction which function to vibrate and shake the covering will maintain the seal of the nozzle lips withbetween the nozzle lips, a function obviously the surface covering regardlessof the varia-. impossible when that covering remains in tions of the height of that covering, and contact with the supporting surface or floor 30 which will'at-all times maintain the nozzle as the blow of the striking element would 30 lips parallel to the plane of the covering. only serve to smashthe covering against the o h r and II1 I sp ifi Objects W appea support. In the ordinary suction cleaner upon reading the following specification nozzle-height-adjusting means are usually and chums and consldermg 1 connection provided in the form ofmeans for raising 35 therewith the attached drawings whi h form or lowering the front or rear wheels of the an integral part of thls d sclosure. suction cleaner. Such a manual adjustment k mg 1H Whlcl} a p q c lfunctions to raise the cleaner or rather pivot bodlment o t e p t mventlo 1s d sit about either the rear or th front'support- Closed! ing wheels, depending upon which are adjust- 4 Fig. 1 is 5 partial i Vi Of a Suction ed relative to the cleaner, the pivoting takcleaner, with the nozzle shown in section upon i l b t th wh el hi h in the1i11e1- 1 of Figure 2, disclosing the presstationary. Such an adjustment is valuable out iilVelltlOn embodled thereln; when the particular suction cleaner is to be *Fig. 2.is a partial bottom-view of the sucused upon surface coverings of different 45 tion cleanser disclosed in Figure 1 embody types in which the height of the pile and the ing the present invention; 7 weight of the covering differ considerably.

Fig. 31s a section upon the line 33 of That type of adjustment, however, fails en- Fig. 2; tirely to compensate for irregularities in an- Fig. 4'is a view in perspective of a detail individual surface covering, or inthe supembodied n the present mventlon comprisporting surface under that covering.- Such is pivoted 'nearerto,

i so

lip being the lower.

in the relative positions of the front and irregularities often serve to tilt the machine thru allowing the supporting wheels to be raised or lowered relative to one another resultingin variations in the nozzle height, and so the lips-which are usually formed integrally with the nozzle, resulting in the breaking of the seal of the lips with'the covering and allowing the air to rush into the nozzle without contacting the covering. A further distinct disadvantage of the usual nozzle-hei ht-adjusting "means comprising the adjus ment of the supporting wheels relative to the cleaner, lies in the fact that as the nozzle lips are raised or lowered relative to the-surface covering, thru the machine being pivoted about the front or rear supporting wheelsas an axis, the front lip or further from, the surface covering than the rear lip, it being positioned further from the pivot point. If the nozzle is in a low position the front lip contacts the surface covering at a lower height thantherear lip and so tends to prevent the raising of the covering into contact with that lip- If the nozzle is'in a relatively high osition the reverse is true, the rear This angular variation rear nozzle lips with the adjustment of the machine is extremely detrimental to the proper functioning of the cleaner thruproviding improper nozzle lip contact with the covering.

f In the suction cleaner constructed in ac cordance with the present invention no means are provided by which the suction cleaner nozzle as a whole is raised or lowered relative to the. supporting surface for the purposeof varying the height of the nozzle lips. Instead, the nozzle lips are made'mova le relative to the nozzle and suitably sup orted 'in a manner such that, regardless 0 their height relative to the surface covering, they are maintained parallel to the plane of that covering.- The nozzle height positioning 3 means constructed in accordance with thepresent invention are, further, automatically actuatedby variations in the vacuum existing within the nozzle; variations in that vacuum functioning to raise and lower the nozzle lips making manual ad ust1ng means unnecessary.

Referring now to the drawings, the pres-;

ent invention is disclosed embodied in a modern suction cleaner which is partly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The suction cleaner comprises the usual. parts found in the modern suction cleaner "including a main casing. or casting 1, which forms a nozzle 2,. and a fan chamber 3 which is interiorly connected with the nozzle 2. A motor casing 4 is positioned upon the main casing 1 immediately above the fap chamber 3 and houses a suitable drivin" motor for the suction-creating fan provi ed in tlieifan chamber 3 forthe purpose of drawing air from the nozzle 2, thru the chamber 3, and exhausting it into asuitable dust bag, as in the usual suction cleaner.

The cleaner is supported movablyby front I wheels, of which one is shown, being indicated. by the reference character 5, and by means of rear supporting wheels, which are not shown, but which are positioned as in the usual suction cleaner of the present type.

is also provided. and serves as means by which the cleaner may be propelled by the operator over the supporting surface.

Within the nozzle 2 and extendinglongitudinallv therein is a rotary agitator-8 comprising helically extending beating elements 9, 9 and a-brush element 10. The stationary shaft 11 of the agitator is held,'at its ends,' within suitable recessed seats 12, 12 formed 1n the end plates 13, 13 which are connected by the rigidly attached, spaced, surface-contactlng, front and rear nozzle 'lips, 14 and 15. A pivoted latch 16 is provided upon each end plate 13 which is acted upon by a spring 17, also carried by each end plate 13, and functions, thru being provided with a cammed recess 18 which extends transversely across the seat 12 in the end plate. 13, to lock the extended ends of the agitator shaft 11 in place within those seats. p The end pl te's 13,13, 'supporting 'the agitator and, the nozzle lips Hand 15, the construction' forming a sub-nozzle,- are mounted,

relative to the cleaner, byhorizontally extendmg parallel arms 19, 19 whichnare pivotally connected at their forward ends to the end'plates. 13 at, spaced points in the same vertical plane. Arms 19, 19 are pivotally con nected at their rearward ends within the wheel pockets, and so behind the nozzle proper, upon the rigid side members 20,20 of the pivoted frame 21 which is itself pivotally carried by the supporting shafts 5a, 5a of the front wheels 5, 5 The frame 21 conforms closely to the side and front walls of the nozzle at their lower extremities where they define the nozz le mouth, the .front cross mem ber 22 of the frame extending closely adjacent the front wall of the nozzle and being secured thereto 'by means of the latch 23 p which it carries and which is adapted to cooperate with a suitable pin 23a carried by the front wall of the nozzle; 9

With the construction in the operative relationship with the-supporting frame 21 secured in position relative to the nozzle 2,by the latch means 23, the sub-nozzle, comprising the front and rear lips 14 and 15 and the en plates 13, 13,-is carried by the frame 21 with the front nozzle lip 14 closely adjacent the cross member 22 of the frame 21, being separated therefrom only by a sealing strip 24, which may be of felt or similar material, and which is carried by the cross member 22 for the purpose of preventing the passage of air between the lip 14 and itself. The rear lip 15 of the sub-nozzle extends closely adj acent the forward edge of the bottom plate 25.

of the air passageway leading from the nozzle to the fan chamber and is contacted by a sealing strip 26 of material similar to that comprisingthe sealing strip 24, forthe puring surface.

The maximum upward displacement of the therebetween on the other side.

,pose of preventing the passage of air between lip 15 and said bottom plate.

The initial, or at rest position of the sub-nozzle, and consequently the agitator which is carried thereby, is that shown in Figure 3. Gravity has pulled the sub-nozzle downwardly in the nozzle 2 as far as the stop pin 27 which extends between the side arms 19, 19 being carried by the side members 20, 20 on the frame 21, will permit. In this position the nozzle lips 14 and 15 extend 'a considerable distance below the lower extremity of the walls of the nozzle 2 and are adapted to contact the surface covering though it be lying flat on the support- Upon turning the starting switch for the cleaner and causing the motor and the suction-creating fan to revolve a reduced pressure is created within the nozzle 2 which tends to collapse the housing formed by the nozzle casing on three sides, and the lips 14 and 15 and the surface covering a bellows and wlth the continued decrease in the pressure existing within the nozzle the external atmospheric pressure forces the surface covering, and the sub-nozzle which contacts it, upwardly and toward the main nozzle and fromlthe supporting surface.

sub-nozzle is also limited by the'stop pin 27, as is indicated in Figure 1, when that pin on each side of the nozzle contacts the lower arms 19, 19. With the surface covering lifted from the supporting surface the agitator, thru being carried by the sub-nozzle and positioned relative to the lips 14 and 15 at the most desirable position, functions with maximum efficiency to disturb and dislodge the embedded foreign particles from the sur- This re-- any reason, the sub-nozzle will immediately drop and renew its contact with the covering, under the action of gravity, the vacuum within the nozzle being destroyed with the breaking of the seal. The presence of the seals 24 and 26 at the sides of the sub-noz-' zle serve to prevent the leakage of air therearound which would tend to decrease the effective. vacuum within the nozzle and so the alertness of operation of the adjustment.

proper, the lips 14 and 15 are always par-' 'allel to the supporting surface of the cleaner. This function is best understood by reference to Figure 8 in'which, in the left hand 'view, a schematic showing of the position of the parts of the sub-nozzle and its supporting means are shown at various heights relative to the nozzle. The lines AB, vA-B represent a pair of sub-nozzle supporting points A, being the pivot points about which the arms pivot, and the points B, B

arms 19, 19 at one side of the nozzle, the

the pivotal connecting points between said arms and the sub-nozzle end plates 13, 13. The points B, B and B" ,B" represent positionsthe pivotal connections of the arms 19, 19 at the 'end plates assume as the subnozzle is raised or lowered respectively, rel ative to the nozzle proper, equal distances from the central position indicated by the points B, B. From the showing it is clear that the lines BB, B' t and B"B" are mutually parallel. In relation to the end plates of the sub-nozzle, and so the subnozzle itself, this means that any vertical adjustment is accomplished by translation rather than by pivoting. Stated differently this means that although the sub-nozzle is pivotally' supported by the pairs of spaced arms 19, 19 that, in the movement of the subnozzle by the pivoting of the arms, the subnozzle is moved so that every plane therethru remains parallel to itself in all subnozzle positions. From this it follows that a plane thru the parallel lips of the sub-noz- ,z'le, which are also the lips of the nozzle,

remains parallel to an initially parallel plane regardless of the lip height.

Referring now to the right hand schematic illustration in Figure 8 an ordinary construction is illustrated in which a single arm, represented by the line (3-1), supports each end of the sub-nozzle. At the initial position the line representing a plane perpendicular to the nozzle lips, extends perpendicularly, but, it is noted, that upon pivoting the supporting arm, represented by in dotted lines invFigure 1, it is possibleto lel to each other or to the line"'E-E. It is.

clear therefore, that if the plane of the nozzle lips is at all times perpendicular to the lines-EE in its various positions that upon the vertical adjustment ofthe lips relative to the nozzle that their angular positions will be varied and they will not remain parallel to the surface covering'as in the present invention.

The present invention has been embodied in a simple construction which in no .way complicates the repair of the cleaner or the removal of the agitator from. the nozzle. To remove the agitator 8, or the sub-nozzle, from the nozzle 2 it is only necessary to permit the sub-nozzle to assume its lowermost position, that shown in Figure 3, at which time the frame 21 'can be ivoted downward- 1y from thenozzle about its supporting pins 5a, 5a upon releasing the latch 23 from the front wall-of the nozzle. With the frame 21 pivoted downwardly, as is clearly shown remove the agitatorfrom the sub-nozzle by simply pivoting the latch 16 at each end against the force of a spring 17. The ends of the agitator supporting shaft 11 can then be withdrawn from the openings 12, 12. To replace the agitator in the sub-nozzle the operation is the reverse from that just described I claim:

1 1. ,In a suction cleaner, a casing including v a nozzle, a sub-nozzle including nozzle lips, means scaling said lips to said nozzle, and

. means supporting said sub-nozzle for vertical translation without tilting relative to said nozzle.

2. In asuction cleaner, a casing including anozzle, a sub-nozzle including nozzle lips sealed to said nozzle, and means supporting said sub-nozzle for translatory movement including vertically spaced arms of equal length pivotally connected to said sub-nozzle and to said casing.

3. In a suction cleaner, a caslng including a-nozzle, a sub-nozzle including nozzle lips sealed to said nozzle, and means supporting said sub-nozzle for translatory movement including a. plurality of spaced parallel equi-length arms pivoted at each end of said sub-nozzle to said casing.

'4. In a suction cleaner, -a-'casing including a nozzle, a sub-nozzle including nozzle lips,

and means supporting said sub-nozzle forto said sub-nozzle. 7

said sub-nozzle for translatory movement including vertically spaced equi-length parallel arms at the ends of said sub-nozzle, said arms being pivoted .tosaid nozzle and 6. In a suction cleaner, a a nozzle, spaced surface-contacting lips movably supported relative to. said nozzle, and means supporting said lips for translation including a air of spaced members at each end of said hps, the members being pivotally connected relative to saidlips in avertical plane parallel to said lips and being pivotally connected to saidcasing.

.7. In a suction cleaner, acasing including a nozzle, a sub-nozzleiincluding nozzle lips casing including within said nozzle, an agitator carried by said sub-nozzle adapted to contact the surface covering between said lips, and pivoted means supporting said sub-nozzle for translatory motlon relative to said nozzle including vertically spaced equi-length arms at the ends of said sub-nozzle connected to it and to said nozzle.

8. In a suction cleaner comprising a nozzle, a pivoted frame normally secured within said nozzle and conforming to the shape thereof, a secondframe. comprising end plates and, spaced cross-members extending therebetween movably" supported 'on said first-mentioned frame, characterized by the fact that said cross-members function as surface conta'cting lips. a

9. In a suction cleaner comprising a nozzle, a pivoted: frame normally secured within said nozzle and conforming to the shape thereof, a second frame comprising end plates and spaced cross-members extending therebetween' movably supported on said first-mentioned frame, an agitator carried by said frame and extending between said cross-members, characterized said. cross-members function as surface-contacting lips.- I

,Signed. at Cleveland, in the'county of Cu ahoga, and State of Ohio, this 24th-day of, ecember, A. D., 1930. f

' OLO O. WILLIS.

' translatory movement including a plurality of spaced parallel equi-length arms pivoted to said nozzle and to said sub-nozzle at each of its ends.

5. In a suction c1eaner,'a casing including alnozzle, a sub-nozzle including nozzle lips 65 sealed'to said nozzle, and meansrsupporting y the fact that 

